SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - First there was Charley, then Frances and now Ivan. Students at Wittenberg University are doing their part to help the victims of the triple-threat of hurricanes, which have blasted through many of the Caribbean Islands, much of the state of Florida and now threaten other areas on the Gulf coast. Weaver Chapel Association (WCA) and the Lutheran Student Movement (LSM) are working together to raise funds for those in the path of the storms, some of whom are family of Wittenberg students, alumni or emeritus faculty.

Members of WCA and LSM will man a "spare-change jar" station near the information desk at the Benham-Pence Student Center beginning at 4:30 p.m. today, and will collect donations until 7 p.m. Tomorrow and Friday, Sept. 17, donations can be dropped in the jar from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 4:30-7 p.m.

Jessica King, a junior from Castalia, Ohio, and president of WCA, said that Samuel Harris, a 2003 graduate, is studying medicine at St. George University in Grenada. "We also have a number of students in our organization who either have relatives or friends who live in Florida, and they are concerned for their safety. By providing this opportunity for our Wittenberg community, we feel that we can both help those that have been or might be affected by these hurricanes and those on our campus who are dealing with the devastation, too," King said.

Wittenberg currently has 15 students enrolled from Florida, one from Jamaica and one from the Bahamas, as well as many alumni and former faculty members in Florida. King said the money would either be sent to the Lutheran World Relief, which is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, or the funds will be directed to the American Red Cross to benefit the hurricane victims.

Wittenberg students might also be able to help through the ELCA in rebuilding the areas hardest hit by the storms.

"We decided to raise funds for the hurricane victims out of compassion for others, which is part of the WCA's mission," King said. "Whatever small change we can collect will go toward showing our support for people in need."